The present invention relates to the creation of complex material and/or electronic structures and, in particular, discloses the creation of a nanotube matrix material.
The use of materials in a mechanical manner and electronic is fundamental to society. Different materials such as steel and carbon fibre are well sought after for their mechanical strength to weight characteristics. Additionally, new materials having new improved properties are always desirable. Also materials having unique electrical properties are also highly desirable where they have a high degree of utility.
Further, in recent years, a huge industry has been created in the fabrication of integrated circuit type devices on silicon wafers etc. Huge research investments continue to be made in the continued muniturization of electronic circuits and the building up of complex 3 dimensional structures layer by layer on a semiconductor wafer.
In 1991, Sumio Iigima reported the discovery of carbon nanotube type devices. The discovery of carbon nanotubes has been recognised as a new fascinating material with nanometre dimensions and promising exciting new areas of carbon chemistry and physics.
For a series of background articles on the application of carbon nanotube type devices, reference is made to the text xe2x80x9ccarbon nanotubesxe2x80x9d edited by Endo, Iigima and Dressel Haus published 1996 by Elsevier Science Limited. The publication contained a number of survey articles covering the field.
Unfortunately, the construction of nanotube type devices proceeds in a somewhat haphazard and uncontrolled manner. Nanotubes are known to be formed in a DC arc discharge or the catalytic composition of acetylene in the presence or various supported transition metal catalysts.
Unfortunately, such arrangements tend to lead to disordered forms of carbon nanotubes which limits their utility through the limitation of the ability to construct complex devices from the nanotubes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide for an effective form of synthesis of complex material structures such as nanotube devices an a controlled manner.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a structure from intermediate parts, each of the parts including at least two potential energy binding surfaces each surfaces having at least two levels of binding potential energy for binding with another corresponding intermediate part, the binding energy including a first intermediate binding potential energy and a second lower binding potential energy, the method comprising the steps of: (a) bringing a series of intermediate parts together in a collation of intermediate parts; (b) agitating the collation to an average energy exceeding the intermediate binding energy; (c) slowly lowering the average energy to a level substantially at the first intermediate binding potential energy; (d) introducing a catalytic element to the collation to cause the parts to bind at substantially the second lower potential energy so as to form the structure.
The method can further comprise the step of iteratively repeating steps (a) to (d) to form other structures.
The intermediate parts can comprise molecules and the first intermediate binding potential energy can comprise substantially hydrogen bonding of the intermediate parts and the second lower potential energy can comprise covalent bonding or the parts. The agitating step can comprise heating or ultrasonically agitating the collation.
The parts can include nanotube fragments with portions having one of resistor, diode or transistor device characteristics.
The structure can comprise a 3 dimensional interconnected array of nanotube fragments and can include a series of nanotube rods interconnected with nanotube hub components. The nanotube fragments can include a series of protuberances formed on an outer non-reactive surface thereof so as to reduce Van der Walls interactions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nanotube structure comprising a matrix of interconnected tetrahedral or cubic nanotube junctions. The interconnect can comprise a nanotube strut portion.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing nanotube components interconnected to a fullerene or other hub component.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a hub component for interconnecting multiple nanotube components.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing a low density nanotube crystal.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device having controlled resistive properties comprising: a central nanotube of a zigzag type of a predetermined length interconnected between two nanotubes of an armchair type.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device having signal amplification properties comprising: a central nanotube of a zigzag type interconnected between two nanotubes of an armchair type; field application means for applying a field to the central nanotube, thereby altering the conductive path between the armchair type nanotubes.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device having signal amplification properties comprising: a central nanotube of a zigzag type interconnected between two nanotubes of an armchair type; and a control nanotube of a zigzag type interconnect to the central nanotube, the control nanotube being interconnected to a field application means for applying a voltage to the central nanotube, thereby altering the conductive path between the armchair type nanotubes.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device comprising a series of nanotubes interconnected at a common junction, the nanotubes, at the junction, comprising zigzag nanotubes, and a predetermined number of the nanotubes including a circumferential join to an armchair type nanotube so as to provide for the operational characteristics of the device.
At least one of the armchair type nanotubes are preferably further interconnected to a common junction of armchair type nanotubes.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device comprising a series of nanotubes interconnected at a common junction, the nanotubes, at the junction, comprising zigzag nanotubes, and a predetermined number of the nanotubes including a circumferential join to an armchair type nanotube so as to provide for the operational characteristics of the device.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device comprising a series of armchair type nanotubes interconnected to a common junction.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device comprising the interconnection of a labyrinth of nanotube devices via common junctions, the devices including a series of diode elements formed from the interconnection of nanotubes of different dimensions.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electrical device comprising a quantum well structure including the junction of a series of metallic type nanotube structures attached to a semiconductive nanotube so that electrons are substantially captured in the junction.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided an electric device comprising a ballistic electron nanotube device including a nanotube junction with at least one quantum well structure adjacent the junction.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of constructing precursor synthesis components for forming nanotube fragments.